Bolivian President Luis Arce resigns his presidential candidacy

Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora has announced his decision not to run in the general elections scheduled for August 2025.  His resignation comes amid a context of polarization with Evo Morales, who was expelled from the official political instrument, the MAS-IPSP.

“In the national elections on August 17th, not only the candidate who will occupy the office of president of our country, nor the parliamentary seats, are at stake.  What is at stake is our Plurinational State of Bolivia," said Bolivian President Luis Arce.

"I will not be a factor in the division of the popular vote, much less will I facilitate the realization of a fascist right-wing project that seeks to destroy the Plurinational State, that seeks to destroy the productive social economic model," stated the former Minister of Economy under Evo Morales between 2006 and 2017.

In a lengthy speech, the Bolivian president referred to the "extreme polarization in the electoral landscape" and the need to confront the neoliberal model.  "I reaffirm that unity is the only way to save the Plurinational State."